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Turkey's Alawites Move to Protect Their Relatives.. And Threaten Armed Intervention in Syria
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The threat of armed intervention by Alawites in Turkey represents a dangerous shift that could lead to an explosion of the situation on the Turkish-Syrian border
Alawites in Turkey, whose unofficial numbers are said to be 23 million, have escalated their protests against the mounting violations targeting their relatives in Syria since "Abu Muhammad al-Jolani," leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, took control of the Syrian capital Damascus on December 8th.
Turkey's Antakya province witnessed mass demonstrations denouncing the widespread persecution campaigns carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham elements against Alawites in Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus, and some Damascus neighborhoods.
Protesters in Iskenderun issued strongly-worded warnings to the Turkish government and Erdogan, affirming their readiness to take up arms and cross the border into Syria to protect their relatives if violations continue.
Observers view the threats by Turkey's Alawites as reflecting the scale of humanitarian tragedy facing their relatives in Syria, warning of the repercussions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's continued policy of targeting societal components.
Experts warn of the current situation's danger to border region stability, especially with the presence of a large Alawite population in Turkey that might move militarily to protect their relatives, potentially leading to an unprecedented explosion of the situation.
These developments confirm the necessity of finding a comprehensive political solution in Syria that guarantees the rights of all components, prevents repetition of sectarian violations, and protects Syrian societal diversity.
Analysts indicate that ignoring the suffering of Alawites and other Syrian components could push toward social fabric disintegration and threaten Syrian territorial unity, emphasizing the importance of rapid international intervention to stop violations and protect civilians.
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